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New Zealand Guide

Documents for New Zealand Visas: Police Certificates, Medicals and English Tests

New Zealand's document requirements are strict but predictable, and the slow items are always the same: police certificates, medical examinations at approved panel physicians, and qualification assessments. Starting these before you need them is the single best way to shorten your overall timeline.

Quick checklist

  • Order police certificates early from every country you lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years.
  • Book medicals only with INZ-approved panel physicians; other clinics' reports are not accepted.
  • Applicants from higher TB-incidence countries, including Pakistan and India, need chest X-ray screening for longer stays.
  • Check which English test and score your category requires (IELTS, PTE and others are accepted).
  • For SMC, check whether your qualification needs an International Qualification Assessment from NZQA.
  • Match every name, date of birth and spelling to your passport across all documents.

Police certificates and character

Residence and long-stay applicants generally need police certificates from their country of citizenship and any country where they lived 12 months or more in the last decade. Pakistani applicants use police character certificates from their district police or NADRA channels; Indian applicants use the Passport Seva PCC. Certificates are usually valid for six months in INZ's eyes, so time the order against your expected lodgement date rather than getting them a year early.

Medicals and TB screening

Health checks depend on stay length and country: stays over six months from higher TB-incidence countries, which include Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, need at least a chest X-ray certificate, and residence applications need a full medical. Only INZ-approved panel physicians can do these, and results upload electronically through eMedical. Conditions like treated TB or well-managed chronic illness are not automatic refusals, but they add assessment time, so declare honestly and bring specialist reports.

English tests and qualification assessments

Skilled and residence categories require English evidence, most commonly IELTS General or Academic, with PTE Academic and several alternatives accepted at published score equivalents. Scores are valid for two years. If your degree is not on NZQA's pre-recognized list, the Skilled Migrant route may require an International Qualification Assessment (IQA), which takes weeks to months, order it as soon as SMC becomes your plan, not when INZ asks.

Common questions

Documents FAQs

How long are police certificates and medicals valid for INZ?

As a rule of thumb, police certificates are treated as current for six months and medical certificates for three years for temporary and residence purposes where health conditions have not changed. Check the current operational rules for your category, and sequence slow documents so nothing expires before lodgement.

Which English tests does New Zealand accept?

IELTS is the most used, but INZ also accepts PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge and OET at published equivalent scores, and some applicants qualify through recognized English-medium qualifications or citizenship of listed countries. Check the acceptable-evidence table for your specific visa category before booking a test.

Do I need my degree assessed by NZQA?

Only if your qualification is not on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment. Degrees from many recognized universities are exempt; others need an International Qualification Assessment to count for Skilled Migrant points. Check the exemption list first, the assessment costs money and takes weeks you may not need to spend.

How to use this page

  1. Read the checklist first to see what needs preparing.
  2. Use the sections below for the reasoning behind each step.
  3. Check the FAQs for common edge cases.
  4. Confirm current rules on immigration.govt.nz before you apply or accept any offer.

Related New Zealand guide topics

Full guide
Visa TypesA plain-language overview of New Zealand visa categories: visitor, student, Accredited Employer Work Visa, Skilled Migrant residence and family routes.Skilled MigrantHow the Skilled Migrant Category residence visa works, the points system, the 2026 changes adding new skilled pathways, and how applicants should prepare.Work Visa (AEWV)How the AEWV works, what accredited employers and job checks are, the salary and skill conditions, and how to avoid the job-offer scams targeting South Asian workers.Student VisaWhat South Asian students need for a New Zealand student visa: offer of place, proof of funds, genuine student assessment, work rights and post-study options.